Page 638 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

Chapter 16

All the rooms of the summer villa were full of porters,
gardeners, and footmen going to and fro carrying out
things. Cupboards and chests were open; twice they had
sent to the shop for cord; pieces of newspaper were tossing
about on the floor. Two trunks, some bags and strapped-
up rugs, had been carried down into the hall. The carriage
and two hired cabs were waiting at the steps. Anna,
forgetting her inward agitation in the work of packing,
was standing at a table in her boudoir, packing her
traveling bag, when Annushka called her attention to the
rattle of some carriage driving up. Anna looked out of the
window and saw Alexey Alexandrovitch’s courier on the
steps, ringing at the front door bell.
‘Run and find out what it is,’ she said, and with a calm
sense of being prepared for anything, she sat down in a
low chair, folding her hands on her knees. A footman
brought in a thick packet directed in Alexey
Alexandrovitch’s hand.
‘The courier had orders to wait for an answer,’ he said.
‘Very well,’ she said, and as soon as he had left the
room she tore open the letter with trembling fingers. A

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